Industrial Robotics and Manufacturing Equipment

Steady pressure to improve the performance and reduce the costs of industrial manufacturing equipment continues. One approach, reducing the mass of the machine, often affects the stiffness of the machine and its ability to control movement accurately. In addition, as machines grow in complexity and provide multiple axes of motion, analyzing and optimizing the integration of the electrical, mechanical, and control systems is often delayed until a complete prototype is built. Any problems found at that stage can set a project back by months, while rebuilds and repeat testing can impact the budget.

Model-Based Design enables engineers to develop a system-level simulation of the mechatronics where engineers can evaluate and optimize the dynamic interaction of the electrical, mechanical, and control systems and its impact on the embedded software. Using code generation capability from The MathWorks, developers can create real-time simulations for testing the control or signal processing embedded software.

Perform Real-Time Controller Testing Using Rapid Prototyping

Companies developing controllers for industrial equipment can experience the same benefits that manroland did using MathWorks software for Model-Based Design. Engineers can reduce controller development time by using real-time simulations to test their control algorithms under operating conditions impractical and dangerous to perform using actual hardware. Once satisfied with their performance, they can quickly deploy the algorithms to the actual controller microprocessor.

Develop Industrial Robotic Controls in Less Time

Industrial robotics is a classic mechatronic problem, involving integrating mechanical, electrical, and controls system design. MathWorks software for physical modeling and control system design help engineers develop multi-axis compensator strategies for precision, vibration-free motion industrial robotic control. Mechanical, electrical, and control systems are simulated in the same software environment making complete system design optimization practical. Integration errors are found earlier in the design process as testing and verification are done using desktop and real-time simulation.